File Extension DiagCab Support Guide

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.diagcab files are used by Microsoft Windows Troubleshooting Platform to examine and fix hardware or system problems. Mostly .diagcab files are downloaded from Microsoft. Sometime system administrators can also create those files to solve problems in a local network.

A .diagcab file is a file archive, which contains information and scripts needed for troubleshooting a specific problem in Windows system. The content in the archive can be seen and extracted by file archivers such as WinRAR, Winzip and 7-Zip. However, only Windows Diagnostics Troubleshooting Wizard (exists in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows RT) can run the scripts in it, fix the problems or give suggestion or choices to the user to fix the problem.

What is Windows Troubleshooting Platform and what does it do?

The Windows Troubleshooting Platform is used in Microsoft Windows to find and update common errors and system hazards. It is used mostly while doing Windows Updates, which download and install windows troubleshooting packs automatically for us. Those packs are from Windows Online Troubleshooting Service (WOTS).

WOTS provides the most recent troubleshooting packs. Sometimes, standalone troubleshooting packs are needed to fix specific problems, e.g., printer or sound problems. Those packs contain the information and scripts required for troubleshooting a specific problem and packed in .diagcab files. Windows Diagnostics Troubleshooting Wizard can launch .dagcab files and run the troubleshoot scripts in it, diagnose the problem and give possible solutions.

Why can’t I run a .diagcab file?

The diagcab file extention first appeared in Windows Vista and was used by Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (msdt.exe), so the earlier versions of Windows, e.g. Windows XP, has no ability to deal with .diagcab files. In Windows Vista, msdt.exe can run the script, but it requires a ticket from Microsoft support team to do the job so the use is very limited. Users of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Window RT will not feel any problem with .diagcab files.

Because a .diagcab file is actually an archive, file archivers such as WinRAR, 7-Zip can extract files from the archive. That means you can always unpack the file and see what’s in it no matter what Windows system you are using.

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